Cover for a cylinder-shaped pressure container

ABSTRACT

Cover for a cylinder-shaped pressure container such as a vacuum impregnation container or an autoclave which at the mouth edge has members for holding a tight fitting closure member against the mouth edge which members contrary to previously known and complicated members can be manufactured by means of generally known working processes and machine tools. The mouth edge of the container (1) and the closure member (3) both have a radially outwards directed annular flange (2,4) which flanges have cooperating contact faces (5) and each a sloping surface, whereby the width of the two flange members (2,4) is decreasing towards the outer edge. The cover further comprises a retaining ring (6) which is placed close to the flange members (2,4) and which is ended up by two free ends (8). The retaining ring (6) has a slot (7) which is open towards the center and corresponding to the cross section of the flange members (2,4), and the circumference of the retaining ring (6) is similar to the outer circumference of the flanges (2,4) so that the free ends of the ring (6) can be pulled towards each other, when the flange members (2,4) are assumed in the slot (7) of the ring (6). The free ends (8) of the retaining ring (6) can be connected to driving means (9) of a hydraulic type for the closing of the retaining ring (6) around the flange members (2,4).

The present invention relates to a cover for a cylinder-shaped pressurecontainer or an autoclave which at the mouth edge has members forholding a tight closing closure member against the mouth edge.

Pressure containers often work by a pressure of up to 15 ato. The highpressure makes heavy demands on the cover of the container. It is, ofcourse, possible to make covers and closing mechanisms which can standthe high working pressures in the container. However, it is alsonecessary to make the cover and the closing mechanism in such a way thata suitably simple operation is achieved when using pressure containers.Previously used covers are either provided with bayonet closingmechanisms or locking rings consisting of two semi-circular lockingrings which are clamped around a collar on the container and a similarcollar on the cover. The bayonet closing mechanism is made out of anumber of radially outwardly arranged pins on the cover, which pinscooperate with incised, sloping slots at the mouth edge of thecontainer. On account of the heavy demands which for security reasonsare made on the cover, the dimensions are made in a way which requiresspecial tools and expertise at the manufacturing. Therefore, there areonly few firms in Europe which can take up such a manufacturing. Furtherthe operation of the cover requires much work and time because of themany bolts which are to be screwed on and off the pins in the bayonetclosing mechanism.

For smaller pressure containers it may be possible to use the closingmechanism known from U.S. Pat. No. 1,958,923 consisting of twosemi-circular locking rings which cooperate with collars or flanges onthe cover and container mouth. This closing mechanism is, however,rather complicated to manufacture in the required dimensions.

The object of the present invention is to indicate a cover of the typementioned in the introduction which can overcome the drawbacks of thepreviously known covers, i.e. that the cover can be made by usualworking processes and machine tools.

This object is achieved by means of a cover which is characterized inthat the mouth edge of the container and the closure member both have aradially outwards directed annular flange, the flanges havingcooperating contact faces and each a sloping surface, whereby the widthof the two flange members is decreasing towards the outer edge, thecover further comprising a retaining ring which is placed close to theflange members and which is ended up by two free ends, and that theretaining ring has a slot which is open towards the centre andcorresponding to the cross section of the flange members, and where thecircumference of the retaining ring is smaller than the outercircumference of the flange members so that the free ends of the ringcan be pulled towards each other, when the flange members are assumed inthe slot of the ring. The retaining ring consists of a coherent circularpiece which facilitates the manufacturing of the locking ring and theoperation of this after the mounting on the pressure container.

The cover may be characterized in that the free ends of the retainingring can be removed from each other so that the inner diameter of thering is at least similar to the outer diameter of the flange members forliberation of the closure member and are pulled towards each other forholding the closure member by means of driving means. The use of drivingmeans for activating the retaining ring facilitates the operation of thecover and the security of using the cover according to the invention isincreased.

The cover may further be characterized in that the driving means are ofa hydraulic type. The application of hydraulic driving means isparticularly advantageous.

The invention will be described further with reference to the drawing,where

FIG. 1 shows a cover according to the invention seen from the end,

FIG. 2 shows the same, but with the retaining ring in an open position,and

FIG. 3 shows the cover seen in a section along the line III--III in FIG.1.

FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a cover 3 with a circumferential flange member 4 anda retaining ring 6 the two free ends 8 of which are connected by meansof a hydraulic cylinder 9. The retaining ring 6 is fastened to thecontainer in the open position by means of four ring pilots 11.

FIG. 3 shows the cover 3 seen in a section along the line III--III inFIG. 1. The retaining ring 6 is provided with an inner slot 7 the shapeof which corresponds to the outer outline of the two flange members 2and 4, when the cover 3 is placed on the mouth edge of the container 1.In the flange member 2 along the mouth edge of the container 1 a packing10 is inserted in a circumferential groove. The ring pilots 11 areshaped in such a way that the inner diameter D₁ of the retaining ring 6in the open position is bigger than or at least similar to the outerdiameter D₂ of the flange member 2 and 4.

The operation of the cover 3 takes place in the following way. The cover3, which is fastened to the container 1 by means of generally knownhinge devices (not shown), is during the closing swung towards the mouthedge, whereafter the retaining ring 6 by means of the hydraulic cylinder9 is pulled down over the two flange members 2 and 4 which are thusfurther pressed against each other on account of the shape of the crosssection of the flange members 2 and 4 and the slot 7 in the retainingring 6. When opening the cover 3 the free ends 8 of the retaining ring 6are pulled away from each other, whereby the retaining ring 6 is firstsupported by the two lowest ring pilots 11, and is then pressed upagainst the two upper pilots 11, so that the retaining ring 6 is clampedbetween the four ring pilots 11. The cover 3 can then be swung out fromthe mouth edge of the container 1.

In order to obtain an extra security, it is possible to place, forexample, a steel wire provided with an eye at each end around the closedretaining ring 6 and secured by means of, for example, a shackle.

These closing and clamping means can also with great advantage be usedfor assembling objects which are each provided with an annular flange.By using a retaining ring over such annular flange members, the objectscan be assembled and parted as required. An example of such a use isassemblies of tube pieces into pipe lines, assemblies of containerparts, containers, etc.

I claim:
 1. Cover for a cylinder-shaped pressure container such as avacuum impregnation container or an autoclave which at the mouth edgehas members for holding a tight fitting closure member against the mouthedge, characterized in that the mouth edge of the container (1) and theclosure member (3) both have a radially outwards directed annular flange(2,4), the flanges having cooperating contact faces (5) and each asloping surface, whereby the width of the two flange members (2,4) isdecreasing towards the outer edge, the cover further comprising aone-piece, unitary, circular, retaining ring (6) which is placed closeto the flange members (2,4) and which is ended up by two free ends (8),and that the retaining ring (6) has a slot (7) which is open towards thecentre and corresponding to the cross section of the flange members(2,4), said width of said two flange members being at least equal to thedepth of said slot, and where the circumference of the retaining ring(6) is smaller than the outer circumference of the flanges (2,4), sothat the free ends (8) of the one-piece, unitary, circular, retainingring (6) can be pulled towards each other to a closed position, when theflange members (2,4) are assumed in the slot (7) of the ring (6). 2.Cover according to claim 1, characterized in that said two free ends (8)of the one-piece, unitary, circular, retaining ring (6) can be removedfrom each other to an open position so that the inner diameter (D₁) ofthe ring (6) is at least similar to the outer diameter (D₂) of the twoflange members (2,4) for the liberation of the closure member (3) andare pulled towards each other to said closed position for holding theclosure member (3) by means of a driving means (9).
 3. Cover accordingto claim 2, characterized in that the driving means (9) is of ahydraulic type, said driving means being operably connected to said twofree ends of said one-piece, unitary, circular, retaining ring.
 4. Thecover of claim 1, further comprising pilot means affixed to thecircumference of the container adjacent said one-piece, unitary,circular, retaining ring for guiding and aligning said ring relative tosaid annular flanges.
 5. The cover of claim 4, wherein said pilot meansinclude means for limiting the circumference of said one-piece, unitary,circular, retaining ring in an open position when the ends of said ringare not pulled toward each other.
 6. The cover of claim 1, furthercomprising pilot means affixed to the container for supporting saidone-piece, unitary, circular, retaining ring proximate said flanges andincluding means for limiting the circumference of said circular,retaining ring in an open position, wherein said free ends of saidretaining ring are not pulled toward each other, to a diameter greaterthan the diameter of said annular flanges.
 7. The cover of claim 6,wherein said pilot means include means for fastening said one-piece,unitary, circular, retaining ring to said container when said ring is inan open position.